The Big Event

There are many times in my life when time is defined by events. This month in particular. There was so much packed in - some major events, (JSB, 8th Grade Celebration...) and some minor (Band concert, choir concert...). And now here I am. About to go to the last event. A BIG event. Graduation. Tonight. We have everything decorated. All of the gowns ironed. Chairs set up... I have come to realize that it is going to happen whether I want it to or not.  One of the boys graduating we first got in the dorm when he was 11. He is one of Wyatt's best buds. Good-byes here are so very hard. It is not like in America where your friend tells you they are going to school in Ohio, and you say, my Grandma lives in Ohio-maybe I will see you when we go there for Christmas...

It is different here. These kids are moving to a different country. Leaving their family behind. Leaving everything familiar behind. They have to learn how to drive, and get a license, get a job. Some have to become a legal citizen of their new "home",  figure out how Mom and Dad can afford for them to go to college on a missionary salary, adapt to a new culture, new foods, new ways of doing everything, and study and learn....AAAHHHHHH!

In this group of 10 Seniors graduating today listen to all the countries represented-Korea, USA, Singapore, United Kingdom, Netherlands, and Canada. I have heard it said that when missionary kids see flags, they see people. It is so true! After Grad our friends will scatter all over the world. And it is sad. It makes our hearts hurt.  Wyatt is losing the most. So many of his dear, close friends will be gone in a day or two. Pray for him when you think of it. Pray for these kids. They have a tough road of transition ahead of them. And pray for all those left behind.

Next year, I will be a Mom in the audience watching my Son graduate. I will be the one wondering if I taught him everything he will need to know. I will be crying huge buckets of tears wondering where all the time went. But, not yet. I still have one more year. 12 months to have no regrets. To enjoy, appreciate, & teach before he is gone. Pray for us to do a good job. Not to waste this year. To help Wyatt become the man God wants him to be. Roots and wings. Maybe God wants to use you to speak into his life. Please don't hesitate to share words of wisdom, advice, stories of hope with him. YOU matter. And we appreciate you.

I better go. Don't want to miss this!

Love,

Rachel

Prayer

So, I was thinking about something the other day while I was playing racquetball with Garth.  Is every return hitable? Like every time he returns a ball to me, is it possible to hit it? Or in basketball, is every shot possible to make from anywhere on the court with enough strength and practice? There are times we are playing racquetball and Garth hits one hard and I don't go for it because I figure that there is no way I can actually get it. But...maybe I can...

I think like that sometimes when it comes to prayer. It is so easy to pray for the easy things, "Lord,help us to have a nice day. Help the kids to do well on their tests, bless this food..." But, do I sometimes think that there are prayers that just aren't "doable", not possible to "hit"? "Lord, bring Your Truth to this nation, take this cancer away from my friend, heal Adalek's legs and help him to walk again, bring conviction to those doing wrong, get rid of my proud heart.." Do I truly with all my heart pray with certainty knowing that God will bring about His great will in each event? Do I pray believing that every prayer can be answered? That NO prayer request is too small!!!!!   DO I believe it? 

Hebrews 4:16 "Let us then approach God's throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in time of need." James 5:16 says, "When you ask, you must believe and not doubt..." 1 John 5:14 "This is the confidence that we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to His will, he hears us."

I need to ask. He is listening. I need to be confident. I serve a BIG God. HE CAN DO IT! Maybe I can't hit every fast ball Garth returns to me, but I can know with certainty God will answer my every prayer.

Rachel

Lies

Hello to all!  So much has happened since I last wrote to you. I miss talking to you. We are in the midst of a heat wave here. It is crazy hot! There is not much you can do during the week to stay cool. Right now we don't have a membership at the local Sentani pool because it was too expensive. So we just try to think cold thoughts. Ha ha.

Hope Mother's Day was just dandy for all of the Mothers out there. Mine was nice. We went to a local restaurant as a dorm (That is quite the ordeal). Restaurants here do things quite different from America. The food can come out anytime. So, you don't eat together. There was a gap of maybe 45 minutes between when my food came out and when the other food came out. But it is the thought that counts, right? The dorm all made me feel special.

We have had some sicknesses go through. Cale got the sickest. Missed a week of school... but everyone is well now. YEAH!  We had our huge community garage sale. The dorm sold stuff and got some money to use for an end of the year party. We had SAT tests and AP tests, Track and Field Day, A Sports Award Ceremony... and lots to come-Choir concert, Band concert, 8th Grade Banquet, Junior/Senior Banquet and then Grad!!! Crazy!

Garth and I are teaching a class right now using the transition/re-entry stuff that we learned from working with Barnabas. The class is almost all Seniors and I am so excited for this opportunity to help prepare the kids for a smooth transition BEFORE they go back to their passport country. It is not easy. I remember. It seems like it should be easy, but you don't just slide back into the spot you left. You are not the same person you were before you left.

Anyways, real quick before I go I want to tell you something God has been talking to me about. Capture Your Thoughts! (2 Corinthians 10:5, Philippians 4:8, Colossians 3:1-2) Satan loves, LOVES, to trick us into believing lies-"You are such a mess-up, no one cares, you will never be as good as them..." He tricks you in the areas you are most vulnerable. SO, what will we do with those lies? Ponder them, feed them, stew in them and think that they are truth? NO WAY! Setting our hearts on lies is like setting the radio on a trashy, static station and letting that play in our home all day. The things we feed affect us. So stop feeding the lies. If the lies are louder than the Truth, then our soul is starving for God's Word. Don't get stuck in the stink!!! Lies flee in the presence of Truth! Speak Truth!!!

Love,

Rachel

Some pictures-

Me selling stuff at the Barang Sale (Garage sale)

Busy at the barang sale.

Clothes are always a hot item, that's why we get so many customers.

Cale lost a few pounds while he was sick.  His pants wouldn't even stay up without help.

Wyatt received some awards for sports this year.

Mother's Day lunch out.